Official events should be conducted in 'national language': Harsha Vardhan

Official events should be conducted in the "national language" wherever possible, Union minister Harsh Vardhan said today, while lauding the use of Hindi in such programmes.

Vardhan, the minister for environment and forest and science and technology, said he has observed that 95 per cent of the programmes in his ministries are conducted in English.

"I am happy that the programme is being conducted in Hindi. It is not a sin to compere in English. But wherever possible, if we can use our national language for conducting the proceedings, then the environment probably becomes more pleasant (satvik)," Vardhan said, while speaking in Hindi.

The minister made the remarks at a seminar, 'Role of security forces in combating wildlife crimes', that was organised by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The SSB, a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, guards the borders along Nepal and Bhutan.

Stressing on giving women officers more prominence in official events, Vardhan said that he has asked his ministries to ensure that at least one-third of the panelists on the dais during such events are women scientists.